Astronomers invented the constellations a long time ago. Today, these groups of stars still serve as landmarks. What are the most famous star constellations?
200,000,000,000,000,000,000,000: this is the number of stars there would be in the Universe. We obviously can’t see them all when we contemplate the celestial vault at night – the summer period is also an ideal time to admire the sky. Thus, among the stars of the Milky Way, our galaxy, it is estimated that only 6,000 to 7,500 stars are visible to the naked eye – and they can sometimes have the impression that they twinkle.
In order to find their bearings, astronomers have invented the constellations. They have ” arbitrarily drawn on the celestial sphere figures connecting the brightest stars which they named constellations sums up the Paris Observatory. They are therefore groups of stars, named in reference to objects, animals or individuals. But these stars do not necessarily have links between them: some stars of the same constellation may be closer to us, while others are much further away.
At night, the constellations an observer can see depends on two factors: their position on Earth and the time of year. Since the Earth revolves around the Sun in one year, our perception of the sky changes as our planet advances in its orbit. Each night, the stars move slightly further west than where they were the night before. Moreover, we do not see exactly the same sky from the northern hemisphere or from the southern hemisphere.
What are the 13 constellations of the zodiac?
Today, 88 constellations are officially recognized: it was the International Astronomical Union that fixed them once and for all in 1922. That’s a lot of constellations to remember: a good start can already be to know the constellations of the zodiac.
During the year, from our point of view, the Sun goes through a circle in the sky, which is called the ecliptic. This circle crosses various constellations, defining what is called the zodiac. The planets move in the zodiac.
The 13 constellations of the zodiac are:
- Aries,
- The bull,
- The Twins,
- The cancer,
- Lion,
- The Virgin,
- The balance,
- The Scorpion,
- Ophiuchus,
- Sagittarius,
- Capricorn,
- Aquarius,
- And Pisces.
What is the most famous constellation?
In the northern hemisphere, the most famous constellation is undoubtedly that of the Big Dipper. It is often used as a landmark, because it is easily identifiable even by novices in astronomy, thanks to its “pan” shape. It’s usually the first one you learn to find.
What is the largest constellation?
Although the Big Dipper is well known, it is only the third largest constellation in the sky. She is preceded by the Virgin in second place. As for the largest constellation in the sky, it is Hydra. It spans over 1,300 square degrees and looks like a creature with a head and a long, curvy body.
Although it is so large, it contains few very bright stars. Most visible is Alphard, a star three times the mass of the Sun.